Stirling Smith
@stirlingsmith.bsky.social
Trade unionist, co-operator, socialist. Husband, father, grandfather. Fascinated by South Asia. Support adult education. Member Labour Party, Co-operative Party, Community trade union. Trustee of THIRST, which works for human rights in tea. All views mine.
THIRST is a unique charity trying to improve the human rights of the people who grow and harvest your daily cuppa. We are looking for a new chair - please see the link and let anyone else you know who might be interested. thirst-tea.org/wp-content/u...
thirst-tea.org
Here’s the thing. Do we believe the union or Ofsted? Given the latter’s track record, not a hard choice. www.theguardian.com/education/20...
New Ofsted inspection regime is damaging our health, headteachers say
School leaders’ union says new system is worse than one it replaced and has left members feeling overwhelmed
theguardian.com
1/ I’ve spoken with Vijay Rangarajan on a number of occasions & he is a professional, dedicated public servant. Following representations I made to the Rycroft Review and to the government on reducing spending in politics, I look forward to the EC’s proposals being brought forward asap.
Reform election fund threatened by spending rules review
The Electoral Commission is considering changes to how campaign money can be used
thetimes.com
Why can’t the UK become an associate member at the same time? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
Trump calls EU offer to Canada of associate membership ‘laughable’, while threatening tariffs
The US president call the move a ‘hostile act’, as Canada seeks to move closer to the EU and diversify its defence ties
theguardian.com
Coverage of the letter I wrote to the Electoral Commission about hospitality Nigel Farage received in Dubai which hasn’t been declared. The Commission is now investigating.
Farage accused of failing to declare donors from events in the Middle East
EXCLUSIVE: The Electoral Commission has confirmed it will look into hospitality heaped on Nigel Farage and senior party figures in Dubai last January by mega-rich supporters
mirror.co.uk
Trade unions are a powerful force for equality. www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/unions...
Unions are building a fairer Britain, pushing for unity over division
The TUC Equality Audit, published every two years, is an essential yardstick and benchmarking tool with which we can measure our collective efforts. This year’s equality audit focuses on what steps u...
tuc.org.uk
All correct. Reform in government would be passing laws benefiting convicted fraudsters. Which raises the question: why is my Labour government response so - let’s be honest - pathetically weak?
Phil Brickell MP@philbrickellmp.bsky.social · 2w agoIt’s not just the scale of the money. It’s also the character of the people making the donations which is extremely worrying - as I argued in this thread over the summer ⬇️
I am not a member of the SWP, far from it. But this analysis seems correct. Farage and the balaclava thugs play different roles, but complementary. socialistworker.co.uk/in-depth/the...
The men in black—British fascism’s new outfit? - Socialist Worker
The far right is looking less like a gang of drunken thugs and more like a paramilitary operation. Richard Donnelly says the recent racist protests in Dover and Portsmouth are a dangerous development
socialistworker.co.uk
Please sign and support trade union rights. www.salidarnast.info/post/labours...
LabourStart launches international campaign calling for the release of trade union leader Lee Cheuk-yan
The international trade union platform LabourStart has launched a global campaign calling for the immediate release of Hong Kong trade union leader Lee Cheuk-yan and activist Chow Hang-tung. The campa...
salidarnast.info
Big loss to Indian trade union movement and the Indian left more generally. An original thinker and doer. countercurrents.org/2026/09/d-th...
D.Thankappan: A Life Devoted to the Working-Class Movement | Countercurrents
D. Thankappan, a veteran trade unionist, founding Vice-President of the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI), and a relentless fighter for the rights and dignity of working people…
countercurrents.org
Currently government plans do not go far enough in preventing money from influencing elections. Thanks @philbrickellmp.bsky.social for keeping up the pressure to amend the bill going through now. We cannot allow politics to be bought.
APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax@anticorruption-responsibletax.org · 2w ago@philbrickellmp.bsky.social argued New Clause 121 would future-proof any reduction in spending limits by requiring them to be assessed against three tests: fairness of elections, the impact on political parties, and public confidence in electoral integrity.
Because the Kent police did nothing the thugs thought they could get away with it in Portsmouth. Injuries to Hampshire police a direct consequence of Kent police inaction. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Police used batons and pepper spray on far-right protesters in Portsmouth unrest
Minister condemns groups behind Hampshire disorder and says officers were injured as they repelled ‘aggression’
theguardian.com
This article is good at explaining how extreme heat harms the body insideclimatenews.org/news/0210202...
What Extreme Heat Is Doing to Your Body - Inside Climate News
As climate change intensifies, heat health risks from accelerated aging to bad decision-making grow worldwide. Here’s what you need to know.
insideclimatenews.org
Safety reps are at the heart of safer workplaces. ✊ UNISON GS @andreaegangs.bsky.social speaking at #Hazards2026 on the critical work safety reps do every day to protect workers and save lives.
Complaints about the former VC go back decades. The Board of Governors completely failed in their duty and undertook no proper due diligence. Union activists were victimised. Shocking corporate misgovernance. Thank you Phil for engaging with the trade unions.
Phil Brickell MP@philbrickellmp.bsky.social · 3w agoIt’s critical that the board of governors at our university heeds the concerns expressed by staff. I was pleased to meet with trade union representatives from both the UCU and Unison earlier this year and will continue to support them.
Wearing balaclavas. How sinister. The police were wearing kid gloves, it seems.
Anna Orridge@anna-orridge.bsky.social · 3w agoPay very careful attention to the difference between the press's reaction to this and the actions of groups like XR and JSO, which also disrupted traffic sometimes.
Pay very careful attention to the difference between the press's reaction to this and the actions of groups like XR and JSO, which also disrupted traffic sometimes.
Chris Grey@chrisgrey.bsky.social · 3w agoThe images here are extremely sinister, and the word 'protestors' hardly applies. But there's also a bizarre aspect as it's thought to be a 'stop the boats' action, yet it is targetting cars trying to reach the terminal to take cross-channel ferries to France: www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/l...
Just imagine a “left wing” group or trade unionists treating a heckler in that way?
Steve Doherty@stevedoherty.bsky.social · 3w agoFarage laughing it up. This is really scary.
My comments yesterday in the chamber on the need to prevent vexatious litigation brought by the rich & powerful to silence stories in the public interest 👇🏻
Spotlight on Corruption@spotlightcorruption.org · 3w ago2. 🤐 MPs told powerful stories about the impact of legal bullying on silencing whistleblowers, journalists & ordinary constituents. But @philbrickellmp.bsky.social noted, despite “positive noises” from the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, “the regulatory framework as it stands is not up to the job”.
🗣️This morning I spoke in Westminster Hall on the need to break down the barriers to business mobility which were erected following our departure from the EU. European businesses which want to invest in this country tell me time and time again of their frustration at the current arrangements 👇
Labour Movement for Europe@labour4europe.bsky.social · 3w agoWatch LME MPs discussing the impact of Brexit in Parliament earlier today. Join the Labour Movement for Europe today to help us work toward a bold and progressive relationship with the European Union.
Dolly Parton was a strong trade unionist.
CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies@cunyslu.bsky.social · 4w ago"Parton was, indeed, a union sister for the better part of 60 years - carrying the card of multiple labor organizations that on Tuesday celebrated the talent and humanity that earned the country singer, actress, and philanthropist universal admiration." Rest in Power, Dolly. 💟
👏 Burnham: "It's clear the growth, the low growth we've had, the decade of low growth, has been partly a result of Brexit." "I want a closer relationship. We are approaching a UK-EU summit in the next couple of months. It is imperative, I believe, that we work hard to get a good deal"
The ICR strike needs our support. Workers are facing a 3.75 per cent offer imposed on them amid a cost-of-living crisis, along with the refusal to implement an increment-based pay policy. Workers have experienced below inflation pay rises over recent years.
